Criticisms Trail Senate’s Move To Amend Trade Unions Act

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) last Thursday in Lagos criticised the move by the Senate to regulate and reform the labour movement in the country.

The Secretary General of CNPP, Chief Willy Ezugwu, said the Senate’s attempt at amending laws governing the operations of labour unions was unnecessary.

Our correspondent reports that the Senate had on Wednesday threw out a bill seeking to amend the Trade Unions Act 2005.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Heineken Lokpobori (PDP-Delta), wants labour unions to put decisions to call a strike to vote by workers.

“There is nowhere in the world where the National Assembly takes on labour unions.

“Trade unions should be left to do their own business,” he said.

Dr Frederick Fasheun, the Founder of Odu’a Peoples Congress (OPC), said the move was not in tune with the 1999 constitution.

“Our constitution, with its imperfection, guarantees freedom of association and freedom of speech.

“So, how can the Senators now desert the constitution they swore to defend? It is unconstitutional, wrong and unfair,” he said.

In his comment, the National Chairman, the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), Mr Damian Ogbonna, advised labour unions to defend their independence.

“Labour unions should maintain their independence by not receiving any form of assistance or funding from government at all levels,” he pleaded.